Games in Math Education by Technology

Math education is very enjoyable with games. Generally, mathematics is boring lesson according to many students. However, if we play games related to topic in this lesson, it can be more entertaining lesson. Moreover, if games is from computer, students like a lot because computer, internet and smart phones are indespensable tools for students in "Technological Age". Well, are there such games in the internet? Yes, of course. What are those?

One of these games is "Math Snakes: Pearl Divers". You can access the game via this link:

http://mathsnacks.com/pearl-diver.html 

And you can watch it in this youtube video:

By this game, you can teach integers, rational numbers, number line, ratio, scale factor, prealgebra, measurement and so on. You can use with the curriculum you are already using in grades 4-8. 

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Other game is "Math Snakes: Game over Gopher" Click here in order to arrive via this lin: 

http://mathsnacks.com/game-over-gopher.html 

And you can watch this video :

You can play this game when telling coordinate system. Briefly, you draw polygons in coordinate plane given coordinates for the vertices, then apply techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems. you find and position integers and other rational numbers on horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane. You solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of coordinate plane. It includes use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate.

For fractions, you can use this game:

http://www.mathplayground.com/Fraction_bars.html

Moreover, you can arrive these games for different grades. For example, You can use this game, for 5th graders: 

http://www.mathplayground.com/grade_5_games.html 

For 6th graders:

http://www.mathplayground.com/grade_6_games.html 

And so on.

Finally, the most popular game is "Minecraft". thanks to minecraft, we can teach a lot of topics related to other diciplines too.

Unfolding Trucated Hexagonal Pyramid

Today I will introduce a geometric construction by using Cabri 3D. Cabri 3D is a program to make 3 dimensional geometric constructions.

     

There are two links below. One of them is Dropbox link of the document which includes unfolded truncated hexagonal pyramid. The other one is YouTube link of construction video of this pyramid.

View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dwdfe4eifg41h30/Unfold%20a%20Truncated%20Hexagonal%20Pyramid.cg3?dl=0

Contruction steps: https://youtu.be/wa-YfwEHnbs

EDpuzzle

Edpuzzle application is a handy and free virtual classroom application where you can edit videos using any video available on the internet, add your own voice, add voice notes, add questions for your students and check the answers given by the students, and check if you are watching the video you have created.

At first, you go into www.edpuzzle.com address. Next, you select teacher option and sign up. To create a new content, you click “My content” tab and click “Create” button and choose one of new video and upload video options. If you choose new video, you select a site from list on the left side and search a video by writing your topic into search engine. Then you select a video and say “Use It.” Now, you can select any part from the video to use by defining start and end points.

In the next step, you can add your voice to give audio notes. You drag the microphone stick to define the place (time) where you give audio notes. Then you record your voice by clicking microphone sign and you finish the record by clicking stop sign.

The next step is for adding questions. You can add 3 type questions: multiple choice, short answer and comment. You define places (time) for questions and write your questions. You can add feedback for student answers. After you add questions, you click "Done" button and save your video by giving a name.

After you save the video, you can assign it to your classes. When you form a class, system gives you a code. Students can attend your lesson by using this code. When students watch the video, video stops and a question reveals. Students answer the question to continue watching the video. When time come, another question reveals and students answer again to continue watching. After students do the assignment, you can check which answers your students give and how many times they watch each part between questions.

Assignment 1 Sketchpad Project 14

Elif Yorulmaz &Gülden Kurt

Objectives:

12.5.2.1. Türev kavramını açıklayarak işlemler yapar.

a) Anlık değişim oranı fizik ve geometri modellerinden yararlanılarak açıklanır.

b) Verilen bir fonksiyonun bir noktadaki türev değeri ile o noktadaki teğetinin eğimi arasındaki ilişki üzerinde durulur.

Pedagogical Explanation:

Through this simulation activity, student have an opportunity to explore the relationship between first derivative of a function at a given free point and slope of the tangent line that through this free point. They also can see that derivative of the function and slope equals 0 when the free point reaches the minimum and maximum points of the function. They can understand why we calculate derivative of a function and where we use it. In this way, they can understand geometric interpretation of derivative.

This activity could be teacher-led, or could be used as a self-guided discovery for individual or small groups of students. Students usually know that the derivative of the function passing from a point is equal to the slope of the tangent line at that point, but they have problems visualizing it in their minds.

User Manual:

This simulation activity is about associating differential of cubic function and slope of tangent lines.

Firstly, teacher can drag sliders to show how function changes when the teacher change coefficients. Next, teacher can demonstrate how change the tangent line and its slope when he or she drags the free point on the cubic function. Dragging sliders and the free point do not change the equality of value of function’s first derivative and slope of tangent line. We expect that students explore this equality and these equal values equals 0 when the free point reaches the minimum and maximum points of the function via this activity.

To see construction levels of the activity, watch the videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztde-QLB6kA (Part 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEssZTwcceI  (Part 2)

Download simulation activity by below link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/53lxd2mvgoz82b9/Elif%20Yorulmaz-G%C3%BClden%20Kurt%20Project%2014.gsp?dl=0

2 Quiz Applications

Students do not like exams and quizzes. We can endear quizzes to students by making them enjoyable. Today I will introduce 2 mobile applications to prepare enjoyable quizzes.

Kahoot

At first, we go https://kahoot.com/welcomeback/ address and click the “Sign up” button. Then we select “as a teacher” button and write a user name. After we login Kahoot, we choose “My Kahoots” option and click “Make My First Quiz” button.  Next, we will see 4 options: Quiz, Jumble, Discussion, Survey. We choose Quiz. Now we write a name for our quiz. We can add picture or intro video. Then we write choices and make one of them correct. After we prepare questions, we click “play” button to start quiz. When we click “launch” button, the program gives a code for students to reach quiz. Students can start by entering this code to their computers, tablets or smart phones.

Students write a nickname and join the quiz. You can see participants on your screen. Now you project questions on the board and students answer question within given time from their computers, tablets or smart phones.

Plickers

You can prefer to make enjoyable quizzes if your students do not have computers, tablets or smart phones. You need a mobile device (tablet or smart phone), a printer, papers, a computer to prepare questions and a smart board in class.

At first, you prepare questions from website of Plickers. Plickers forms different QR codes for your each student. You can print these codes and distribute to all class. Then questions are projected to board and students use their QR codes to answer multiple choice or true false questions. Students raise the codes according to their answers. We use the camera of our mobile device in Plickers application. Plickers scans student answers and lists student who answers.